Perpendicular media with Cr-doped Fe-alloy-containing soft underlayer (SUL)

Abstract

A perpendicular magnetic recording medium having a substrate, a Cr-doped Fe-alloy-containing underlayer containing about 8 to 18 at % Cr and a perpendicular recording magnetic layer, and a process for improving corrosion resistance of the recording medium and for manufacturing the recording medium are disclosed.

1. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a perpendicular magnetic recording layer; and 
 an underlayer between the substrate and the perpendicular magnetic recording layer, the underlayer comprising Fe and about 8 to about 18 at. percent Cr, 
 wherein the underlayer is substantially amorphous and comprises at least one of Zr, Ta, and B. 
 
     
     
       2. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer comprises a soft magnetic underlayer. 
     
     
       3. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer further comprises Co. 
     
     
       4. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer comprises about 11 to about 15 at. percent Cr. 
     
     
       5. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer has a thickness greater than 30 nanometers. 
     
     
       6. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer has a thickness between about 100 nm and about 200 nm. 
     
     
       7. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 1 , wherein the perpendicular magnetic recording layer has a thickness between about 5 nm and about 30 nm. 
     
     
       8. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer is configured to provide a return path for a recording head. 
     
     
       9. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 1 , further comprising a seedlayer between the substrate and underlayer, wherein the seedlayer is configured to change the magnetostriction of the underlayer. 
     
     
       10. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer has a surface roughness below 0.4 nm. 
     
     
       11. A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a perpendicular magnetic recording layer; and 
 an underlayer between the substrate and the perpendicular recording magnetic layer, the underlayer comprising Fe, Co, and about 8 to about 18 at. percent Cr, 
 wherein the underlayer is substantially amorphous and comprises at least one of Zr, Ta, and B. 
 
     
     
       12. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 11 , wherein the underlayer comprises a soft magnetic underlayer. 
     
     
       13. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 11 , wherein the underlayer comprises B. 
     
     
       14. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 11 , wherein the underlayer comprises about 11 to about 15 at. percent Cr. 
     
     
       15. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of  claim 11 , wherein the underlayer has a thickness greater than 30 nanometers. 
     
     
       16. A method for manufacturing a perpendicular magnetic recording medium, the method comprising:
 depositing an underlayer on a substrate, the underlayer comprising Fe and about 8 to about 18 at. percent Cr, wherein the underlayer is substantially amorphous and comprises at least one of Zr, Ta, and B; and 
 depositing a perpendicular magnetic recording layer on the underlayer. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the underlayer further comprises Co.